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Conservation Update

 

Budget Deal Opens Parks, Provides Funds for Open Space, Stewardship

The Legislature acted at the last minute (Friday, May 28) to provide funding to reopen 55 state parks and historic sites in time for Memorial Day weekend. But the same measure that provided $11 million to keep parks open also slashed the state’s main funding stream for environmental programs. The EPF level for fiscal year 2010-11 was set at $134 million, down from $212 million last year and significantly lower than the $167 million and $222 million proposed earlier by the Assembly and Senate, respectively. The 37 percent cut is also greatly disproportionate to cuts in other budget areas. Still, there are a several bright spots in the legislation. The EPF includes no “offloads,” provides $17.6 million for open-space protection and $16.2 million for stewardship of state lands. 

The stewardship funding was a major focus of ADK’s lobbying effort this year, so this is an important victory. Stewardship funds help the Department of Environmental Conservation and the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation maintain 4.5 million acres of state land and ensure these lands are accessible to the public for safe and sustainable recreation. Stewardship funds also support ADK’s Professional Trails Crew and Summit Steward Program.

While $17.6 million falls far short of what the state needs for open-space projects, it is a lot better than zero. Last year, the EPF included $60 million in this category, but the governor proposed a moratorium on state land purchases for at least one year and eliminated all funding for it in his Executive Budget. Not only would that have left the state powerless to deal with any land protection issue, it threatened the future of the program. If the open-space program had been shelved, even temporarily, it might have been difficult to revive it in the future. 

The legislation also maintains the integrity of the EPF by not including any “offloads.” Offloads, which are attempts to pay for state General Fund programs with EPF money, seriously threaten the original intent of the EPF. The Legislature’s rejection of offloads protected the integrity of the EPF and helped defend it from future attacks.

Allison D. Beals

Director of Government Relations and Conservation

Adirondack Mountain Club

301 Hamilton St.

Albany, NY 12210

(518) 449-3870

allison@adk.org